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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25780888">The Quiet Things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords'>Cefhclwords</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Men's Football RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Drabble Collection, Drabbles, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:46:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25780888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of works from Tumblr that are too small to be posted alone! Tumblr is @Cefhclwords 😊</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dele Alli/Eric Dier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Dancing in the Refrigerator Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It starts like much of the rest of it does, a stumble into an accident that is so warm it becomes impossible to untangle. It’s something small the first time, a long day, one where the things that are hard have piled high over Dele’s head and secured an anchor as his ankle. A day where making dinner sounds just about as simple as starting everything all over again is. So Eric’s making pasta.</p><p>The kitchen smells like butter and garlic and Dele has a sock on one if his feet and Eric’s feet are bare and he’s wearing an old pair of blue jeans, threadbare and worn in like his hoodie. Work clothes from wanting to fix up something in the shed before dinner. </p><p>Eric’s mixing the pasta through, one hand holding a wooden spoon, the other on the bottom of Dele’s back, fingers playing a lazy pattern. All of Dele’s energy was cumulative of standing up, so that’s what he’s doing, standing pressed up against Eric’s front, his arse pressed against the lip of the bench behind them. Eric keeps Dele tucked slightly to the left, curled in away from the stovetop.</p><p>There’s not even any music because Dele feels heavy, like wet clothing on a line on an overcast day, and he doesn’t want anything, but feeling the rise and fall of Eric’s breath under his cheek is enough. </p><p>He wants to hold it in his hands. </p><p>He wonders if he could tuck part of Eric away in his chest, things wouldn’t ever really feel so bad any more. Eric starts humming and Dele’s eyes are closed, his unsocked foot is cold so he tucks his toes under the leg of Eric’s jeans, against his ankle. Eric hums and drops the wooden spoon to rest against the edge of the pot, tugs Dele up to be standing on his feet, sock over bare skin, bare skin over bare skin and he shuffles them.</p><p>The movements are lazy, jilted and Dele feels heavy pressed there and Eric moves them. He feels like a little kid, and something spikes behind his eyelids that he can’t give a name so he turns his face into Eric’s neck and wraps his arms up behind his shoulders. </p><p>He thinks of times he wasn’t held like this and the kitchen in his first home and the way he’s seen couples dance in movies and the girl's toes he's stepped on. He holds as tight as he can, and a laugh blooms when Eric dips him back, his hands sure and strong against his back.</p><p>It’s easy from there, like breathing, like holding hands over breakfast, like Eric’s hand on Dele’s thigh when they are driving. It’s always the kitchen, A good song on their playlist, just not wanting to let each other go, the need to hold on. </p><p>It’s Eric’s hands up under the back of Dele’s shirt, Dele spinning Eric under his arm with an easy move, making him twirl over and over until he gets dizzy with it. It’s swaying together with a barely-there movement, an excuse to press faces to necks, a way to hold each other close without asking. A way to ignore the injures, the tape, the stitches the tired circles under eyes.</p><p>It can be Dele mumbling in Eric’s ear what feels so big and impossible to fit across their dining table. </p><p>It’s clay weaving between their feet and the smell of dinner cooking. </p><p>Dele somehow finds himself safer here, with feet on cold tiles and a slow rocking motion of steps that feel unfamiliar. </p><p>Finds himself safer here when Eric can’t stop laughing, face flushed and body trembling as he tries to recover from nearly dropping Dele, or a stumble caused by a slide of socks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Contract Extension</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A collection of works from Tumblr that are too small to be posted alone! Tumblr is @Cefhclwords 😊</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s something small, something soft and sweet and it’s somewhat unspoken its something so warm and solid and so real that it can feel too much to talk about. </p><p>There had been the harder parts, the bigger long talks and teary eyes, the confusion and worry the fear when Eric wasn’t sure he’d get centre back, and what then. </p><p>They had the weeks when Dele pressed closer, seemed quieter and smaller, unsure and worrying. The fear and the hope of Jose coming in and what that might bring for them. The small wins and joy the shared smiles and whispers at half time when things started to look like it was finally going their way. </p><p>This, this isn’t some big overexcited indulgence of a win, it’s been a steady quiet fight so this just feels like coming home, it feels like warmth and right and certainty. Its a future, here together at Spurs where it all started and it’s theirs and it looks good and what they want and its enough to not be knocked down by losses or injury, its the solid footing they’ve been wanting. </p><p>It was the decision Eric whispered against Dele’s cheek in the dark of their room one night, curled up in bed, “I’m not going” before he could be sure things would fall how he needed them to. </p><p>So the celebration, its all for them, it’s Dele picking Eric up from the club, wolf-whistling at his suit but his smile is so big it hurts. </p><p>It’s them holding hands the whole way home, Eric whinging about it being too hot for a suit and wanting to get changed, but he can’t stop smiling either, keeping their hands anchored in his lap, playing with Dele’s fingers, twisting his rings. </p><p>Eric does get changed when they get home, quick to chuck on a pair of soft shorts and a thin loose t-shirt and when he comes back downstairs Dele’s gotten a bottle of champagne from somewhere, of course, has already popped the cork and had it spilling down his hand and wrist where it will settle and become sticky in a matter of moments. </p><p>Eric gets his hands on Dele’s waist, pulls him back into his body, so he’s slung over Dele’s back as he pours them a drink each. He tucks his face into the crook of Dele's neck, where the skin is warm and he smells like his body wash, he brushes his lips mindlessly over the skin, blindly mapping the freckles he knows are there. </p><p>He watches the bubbles dance in the glass, lit up by the warm sun shining through. Eric hears Clay snuffle and settle somewhere by their feet and he bites Dele’s skin just to hear him squeak and slap him away. Dele pushes a glass into Eric’s hands and spins in the circle of his arms and sits himself up on the counter and immediately grabs at Eric’s shirt to pull him in as close as he can fit, eyes sparkling and sharp. </p><p>“Hey” he mumbles to Eric, who just watches him, because Dele is smiling so beautifully at him, so sure and Eric can feel it in his chest like a warm bubble, threatening to pop. Eric leans in to press a kiss to Dele’s brow, breaths in slow. </p><p>He wants to remember this moment, the feeling of peace, knowing he did all he can to have all he wanted. Dele is quiet for a moment, his legs swinging so his ankles hit cupboards under the benchtop and Eric can practically feel Dele buzzing in his arms, words brewing up before he mumbles out “so thirty huh?” </p><p>Eric just lets out a small laugh and curls his arm tighter around Dele’s shoulders because yeah, thirty. </p><p>“Reckon you’ll have grey hair by then?” </p><p>Dele teases, pulls back to look up at Eric, his hand reached up to scratch through Eric’s beard.</p><p>Eric sighs and pushes out his lips in a half pout, but keep his eyes on Dele’s face, heart full in his throat. It catches him off guard, sometimes, how grown-up his boy has become, sharper features, curls grown out and soft, the facial hair framing his face, the earring in his ear. The softness of his eyes, however, was always the same, familiar and warm and four more years. </p><p>“Well at that old age” Eric mumbles back finally, enjoys the way Dele beams, laughs and slide his hand up to feel his buzzed hair. </p><p>“it’s ok big man, I’ll still love you, grey hair and all since I guess I’m stuck with you now” he huffs and Eric just rolls his eyes and gets a hand loosely around Dele’s throat just under his chin to tip his head back for a kiss because his boy is stupid and will just keep going on about Eric being his old ball and chain until he shut him up. </p><p>They kiss until Dele spills champagne on Eric’s shirt because he lets his wrist go slack. Dele whines that they need to make a toast, and holds up his glass and starts droning on some random tale about the day they first met. Which, the story isn't even true at all because Dele had started it with “it was a beautiful summer evening” when in truth the first time they’d met it had been a freezing cold rainy day and they had met in the hallway by the changerooms with a brief shake of hands before Eric had been dragged away by one of the other boys. Eric was pretty sure they hadn’t even made eye contact and Dele was currently rambling on about how he could tell how taken Eric was with him because of him gazing deeply into his eyes. </p><p>Eric goes straight for the tactic he knows works best, and picks Dele up in the cradle of one arm under his arse and starts walking him outside. Its enough to get Dele to stop, slapping at Eric instead to put him down because they need to cheers or else its bad luck. </p><p>So Eric places Dele down on the outdoor table and pulls back to they can clink their cups together, Dele huffs happily and nods cries out a “to thirty” while Eric says ‘to four more years” and they go quiet as they sip, Eric’s eyes seeking out Dele’s as the champagne burns down his throat. </p><p>Dele grimaces at the taste and Eric laughs because Dele is not a fan of champagne, neither of them was really. Eric wasn’t even really sure where the bottle came from. He steals the cup from Dele’s hand and places it on the table, leans into Dele’s body until the other man goes with it and sprawls back on the table, Eric laying over him with a smirk. </p><p>Dele wraps his legs around Eric’s hips and Eric pushes up Dele’s shirt so that he can rest his cheek on Dele’s stomach, pressing occasional kisses there. Dele’s hand sinks into his buzzed hair and scratches through it and Eric feels his eyes droop happily. </p><p>“coys coys coys” Dele chants quietly into the air and Eric feels his laughter shake in his stomach as he says it. </p><p>“We have vodka right?” Eric asks after a few moments and Dele really laughs then, tickles the back of Eric’s neck before he mumbles out an “mmm now you’re talking”</p><p>It’s them getting (a little bit) drunk in their own home, half on top of each other as they make dinner, getting distracted by each other, hands tangled up tight, a warmth wrapped up around them that is to good to break.</p><p>It’s the ring tucked in a box upstairs in Eric’s ‘study’ under a pile of textbooks, and a life that doesn’t work right without each other</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. After the Norwich Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eric wasn’t completely sure how long he had been awake all in all. </p><p>He could remember waking up before the Norwich game. He remembered his usual routine, a few minutes stretching and a shower, feeding the dogs, cooking breakfast and a sleepy good morning kiss from Dele when he came downstairs to grab a plate of food. He can remember clearly bickering with Del over the music he was playing on their drive over to the stadium. </p><p>Eric could recite the regular pre-match hours without thought, the usual pattern of preparation and warming up; chatting to Jan about their plans for the weekend, Getting a text from Patrick to confirm that he had made it to the stadium and a wish of good luck. </p><p>Then again, that maybe felt about three days ago at that point, so far from where he was now, a foggy memory. It was dark still, just, late, or well, early enough for the faintest hint of light to tease the edges of the sky. The moon looked dull, only the thinnest slice of white hanging among the stars. </p><p>Eric’s eyes closed in a slow blink and he bowed his head forward to press against the cool glass of the window, eyes cast down to their empty yard, everything perfect still on the cold night. The chill sat tight under his bones, frigid across his forearms and fingers, shoulders stiff with it.</p><p>It made the exhaustion in his body smart, twist with something tight and radiated a dull pain in the back of his head. His muscles burned with the way he’d folded himself onto the window seat, but he ignored it to keep his cold feet tucked up under one of the straw pillows. </p><p>His breath ghosted out from his lips and fogged over the window momentarily, casting it a blurry white before the cold slowly ebbed into the edges and let the glass clear once more. Eric’s fingers curled against his thigh in a useless movement as he forced his eyes open, focused on the football sitting in the middle of the yard, where he and Dele had left it a few days ago after a lazy kick around. </p><p>An ached thrummed in his chest, too exhausted for it to be anger, Eric resigned it to a twisted feeling of discomfort that had been sitting in his stomach since he got Patrick safely back to the dressing room with him. Heat sparked in his stomach and his brain sparked, in a desperate attempt to run his mind over it again and he pressed his fingers to his brow. </p><p>Should he have gone into the change room? Ignored the sight of a scuffle and seeing the familiar figure of his brother? His baby brother? His stomach lurched at the idea of walking away, hated the idea of turning his back on Patrick, like he ever could. </p><p>But then he remembered trying the launch himself over fans, arms pinning him back around his stomach, the pain of his thighs colliding with the tops of the plastic stadium chairs as he ached to get his hands on the smug bastard darting away out one of the exits. He felt frustration and helplessness at the resentment he’d felt, at the way he hadn’t thought about anything until Patrick had gotten his attention. </p><p>It wasn’t until Eric had his hand on Patrick’s shoulder, was able to see his face, confirm that he was safe, he hadn’t been touched, no one had hurt him, that the reality of his choice had hit him in full force. His eyes had gone hazy with it, unfocused as he listened to Patrick’s voice and let them be ushered away, toward the dressing room. </p><p>Eric grunted and squeezed his eyes closed, wishing his brain would leave it alone, stop picking over a choice he couldn’t change, wasn’t sure he wanted to change. His phone was tucked into the pocket of his sweats now, only out of his hand because the battery had died. After Dele had gone to sleep, promised by Eric over and over again that he was fine, his phone had been fixed in his grip. </p><p>He had read every news article available, read tweets and Instagram posts, read the flood of text messages from Patrick, his family, from various team mates, too many people to count. Eric had rolled every comment over and over, slipped out of bed when it had been hours since Dele had drifted off to sleep beside him and became obvious sleep wasn’t finding him soon. He’d taken himself to their spare room, for the time filled with books and big couches, large windows filling the wall, the window seat where he had let his body rest on while he scrolled his phone almost mindlessly. </p><p>Eric was usually never one to fall into the trap of seeking public opinion, he had learnt after his bouts illness and injury that it was better he didn’t see what was said about him. But after today, he couldn’t help himself. </p><p>With the guilt and the anger, the fear and fucking adrenaline that seemed to be intent on circuiting his brain for as long as possible, he ached for a sense of understanding. Eric wasn’t even sure what he needed, if he was trying to understand his actions, to justify them, or hoping that others understood his actions. If there was any indication of what his punishment may be. Jose had given him only words of support, condemned him acting in an unprofessional way but assured him he was supportive, but Eric still worried deeply what consequence he might face. </p><p>Part of his brain, the same one that seemed to spark up when he was dropped the England squad, or when he captained a losing game, relentlessly told him it may be weeks, months, months and months and. Eric tightened his hand into a fist and the buzz under his skin that refused to let him give in to his exhaustion went sharp again. </p><p>Eric rarely struggled to sleep, Dele often teased him for sleeping like he was dead, hard to wake up and napping wherever he could, especially after 120 minutes of football and a penalty shoot-out, his body craved rest. Not to mention it had to be going on his twentieth hour of being awake. His muscles were throbbing unhappily, overworked and cold, stiff with any movement. Climbing the stands, he thought listlessly, probably hadn’t helped with that. </p><p>He listened to the quiet sounds of the home, of clay’s soft snores coming from their bedroom, the occasional groan of the floorboards. Eric’s eyes stung suddenly, and he felt a rush of disappointment roll over him once more. </p><p>Things had maybe finally started to clear up, the idea of staying at Spurs, staying with Dele, playing the position he really wanted, had started to seem not to impossible anymore. The feeling of being trapped, of compromising his play, of being silent to criticism when all he wanted was the chance to prove himself in the position he knew he would excel in, it had finally started to look like it was becoming the past. </p><p>He had played a good game, he had landed a good penalty despite the loss and all of that may be for nothing now. For the first time in an almost a year Eric felt like he was close to being able to  work hard and take what he wanted, Jose maybe saw something in him, in his ability to come back from not the best season, someone who believed in him and would push him to make himself better.  </p><p>Eric felt a lump rise in his throat and his eyes were so sore as he rubbed over them and he just was so fucking tired, he was angry at himself and the situation and the bastards that came to watch games only to tear players apart and his mind just wouldn’t shut the fuck up and - “Eric?” Eric flinched at the soft sound of his name, spun around to see Dele stood in the door frame, looking small in socks, sweatpants and a big hoodie of Eric’s, the hood over still half damp curls, a blanket from their bed wrapped around his shoulders.</p><p>Eric’s stomach twisted tighter. Dele, his boy who held Eric’s hand through all the hard things, who never looked at Eric differently, who understood when things were hard. Dele who he never wanted to disappoint, not because Dele would love him any less, but because making Dele proud was everything. He hated the idea that today he’d let Dele down too. They’d spoken about it briefly, but Eric had clipped the conversation, scared of talking about. Even with Dele. </p><p>Dele had asked him what happened and Eric had explained it briefly, that he hadn’t laid a hand on anyone, that Patrick was ok, and Dele had nodded along, listened, said ok when it was clear Eric didn’t want to say much more. Had held Eric’s hand the rest of the way home, understanding his silence. Eric feared that beyond that silence was frustration, judgment from Dele, disappointment in Eric when he had been trying so hard to work hard for them, so stay here with him. </p><p>Everything was so grey now, everything felt messy and out of his hands and this wasn’t who Eric was, this wasn’t wha the did. Eric always had control, he knew how to fix things, he was the brother his siblings came to when they needed help, the guy on the team who would listen to anyones concerns, reassure them, put on a tough face when things were hard. He would figure things out, make them work and right now hw had no idea, no control no way to make sure things weren’t hard or went wrong or ruined things. </p><p>Eric’s breath hitched on the thought and he pressed his lips together, did a bad job of hiding how he felt going by the way Dele’s face dropped slightly. </p><p>Dele moved across the room till he was stood right in front of Eric, wrapped his arms around his shoulders and tugged gently until Eric’s chest pressed against his stomach. The few tears that were hiding in the corners of his eyes spilled down into the fabric of the hoodie. “Oh baby” Dele breathed. </p><p>One hand stayed firm across Eric’s shoulders, the other moved to the back of his head, hand gently petting down over his spiky short hair rhythmically. “Eric” Dele breathed and Eric drew in a low breather before he pressed his face into Dele’s stomach more firmly. He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to focus on the warmth of Dele’s body, how he smelt like their sheets and he steadiness of his breathing. </p><p>Nerves jumped in Eric’s throat, on Dele wanting to talk about this and having to rehash it all again, go through everything again and what he did and what might happen and how everything was uncertain. He didn’t want to talk he just wanted sleep, he just wanted his brain to stop so he could rest, so he could try and figure this out in the morning, when there would be more answers for him to find instead of the same articles and tweets over and over, the same videos to worry over. </p><p>But, Dele never asked, kept his hand steady over the back of Eric’s head, his nails began to scratch in a lazy pattern. He shifted the blanket from his shoulders to be around Eric’s without even really taking his hands off him at all. </p><p>Eric doesn’t cry, not really, a few tears fall but his body just aches with exhaustion and he can’t even get himself to cry properly. Dele pulls back and Eric lets out a low whine, his hands chase Dele and grip the loose fabric of his sweats around his thighs. </p><p>Dele’s hand moved to Eric’s cheek, his eyes soft even in the darkness of the room, Eric can see the love in them and the tension in his stomach loosen for the first time in hours. </p><p>“Come to bed with me love, too cold here” Dele says simply. Doesn’t ask if Eric has slept, doesn’t ask any questions at all, doesn’t even sound worried. He spoke like its just another night where Eric has stayed up late studying or on the phone, and Dele wanted him to come to bed. </p><p>Eric nodded without thought, finding it easy to take Dele’s offered hand and tuck himself into his side, walk with him down the hall to their bedroom. Eric stood by Dele as he reached out and pulled back the covers, stole the blanket from Eric’s shoulders with a small kiss to his nose, laid it over the end of the bed with a smooth motion of his hands. </p><p>Dele turned to face Eric properly then and took his hand from Eric to wrap them both around his shoulders, pulled him into a proper full body cuddle, squeezed him firmly, holding him tight and safe and the air rushed out of Eric’s mouth. </p><p>It was like his mind finally had set onto another track, falling asleep next to Dele, he knew how to do that. Dele’s boyfriend? He knew how to be that. Dele kept him close, hands pressing him in so that they could feel each other's breaths, until Eric’s eyes finally slipped shut, till he slumped forward and let Dele carry his weight, till his muscles let out a tremble, finally exhausted from holding tense in stress. </p><p>“There we go”</p><p>Dele mumbled under his breath, Eric just catching the words, warm and heavy and having no energy to reply. </p><p>“Let’s sleep, yeah? I’ve got you, let’s just sleep now” </p><p>Dele mumbled and shuffled them carefully until they could easily fall into bed, Eric tucking himself further into Dele’s chest. He nuzzled his face as far as he could into his neck, hands under Dele’s jumper against warm skin, body heavy and solid against Dele’s front. </p><p>“Dele” Eric slurred out, a thick warm sense of sleepiness rolling over Eric’s body, from his toes to the top of his head, heavy and safe as his body finally let him relax. Dele had him now. Dele hummed and pressed a kiss to the top of Eric’s head, hand smoothing up and down Eric’s back. “It’s alright love, don’t worry. We will talk tomorrow, but I’m here now, you can sleep I’m here” Dele breathed like a mantra, half to himself and half to Eric, feeling the man slip into a warm daze, finally letting all tension melt away from him. </p><p>Eric pushed closer still, even as he was almost asleep, feet tangled with Dele’s and he pushed in tighter to the frame of Dele’s arms, nose seeking out the warmest curve of his neck, fingers holding tight to his torso. Dele kept his hold tight for as long as possible, fought against his exhaustion to ensure Eric was sound, before he let himself rest once more, knowing they could face this tomorrow. Together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. An Argument</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Do you not think for once in your life you could give me more credit? I’m not a child Eric”</p><p>Dele pressed his fingers against his brow to stop the trembling. </p><p>He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and held the breath behind tightly pressed lips. He held it till his lungs smarted to release it, and he did, breathing in once more.</p><p>The only sound in the kitchen was Eric’s slow breathing as it sent a shock of rage through his body. He hated when Eric did this, he would shut off and go silent on him, would say he was just thinking when Dele pushed him. That he was still figuring it out.</p><p>Dele wished Eric could just talk to him, not worry about what he said, how he said it, just reply to Dele, be present in the conversation instead of so considered.</p><p>He huffed and spun to face Eric, the other man's eyes firmly on the floor, his toes pressing into the tiles under his gaze. Dele watched for a moment, trying to temper the rage into something better, something softer, but he failed.</p><p>“I know we are different Eric don’t worry I have many reminders for that and I’m sorry if I’m a burden on you for not being the kind of perfect you’ve been surrounded by in your whole life but have you ever thought maybe that gives me a different view on things?” </p><p>Dele watched as Eric's shoulders curved in and fuck he refused to feel bad about this, he wouldn’t.</p><p>“That maybe if you tried to see things how I do you might actually- you know what I don’t care Eric. If you need to be convinced then maybe you’re just better making that choice on your own” </p><p>Dele let the words fall and the house went silent once more. </p><p>The dogs were long asleep and the TV was off, and Dele wanted his bed.</p><p>He wanted to go to sleep. </p><p>His throat hurt and his eyes were itching with the want to cry, he had a thick lump in his throat. He didn’t want to keep doing this, stand here and fight Eric down about something he wouldn’t even talk to him about properly.</p><p>The way Eric was acting wasn’t something Dele could stay around for. Eric knew silence was the very worst for him, Eric understood that Dele would take fights over the silent treatment. </p><p>Eric knew he would rather dig wounds to heal over later together with understanding and forgiveness, but having talked it through. He knew Dele would rather that than have nothing said at all. That’s what drove Dele so crazy, he’d told Eric it didn't feel like he cared when he did this like they weren’t (he wasn’t) worth fighting for.</p><p>“So.” </p><p>Dele breathed out and scrubbed a hand through his hair. </p><p>“I'm going to bed” he exhaled and bit into his bottom lip, stayed into the kitchen for a few more moments of useless silence before he let out a bitter laugh and nodded his head once. </p><p>“Awesome. Goodnight Dier” Dele said, words tired as he turned and left the room, angry at the tears that fell as soon as was out of Eric’s eyesight.</p><p>Dele had slept for maybe a handful of minutes in the few hours he’d been in bed, when Eric finally came into the bedroom. </p><p>Half of Dele wanted to whip around and tell Eric to fuck off and the other half just wanted Eric to explain, to have him want to talk it out, to show that he cared. He hated that he wanted that, hated that he wanted Eric to climb into their bed and hold onto him.</p><p>Dele wanted his anger, he knew how to live in it, but the softness loving Eric had given him was still at times uncomfortable. He was vulnerable. No one could hurt him like Eric could. </p><p>When things were tough, Dele feared it would all fall apart, that was what terrified him most. He worried he was too easy to leave. That what they had was too good to be infallible.</p><p>Eric slipped into bed and Dele let out a small breath he didn’t realise he was holding. </p><p>The other man's movements were stiff and careful, Dele felt Eric’s awkwardness just in the unsteady dip of the mattress and movement of the covers. Dele stayed perfectly still, his back to Eric’s side of the bed, his breathing slow and steady. His heart felt like it might pound out of his mouth, but he tried his best to appear asleep, his eyes closed and stomach twisting up in knots.</p><p>Maybe he’d been unfair, maybe he’d pushed hard, maybe he was impatient when he knows Eric liked to think before he spoke, that he got insecure in saying what he thought without filter, scared of being too cruel or sounding stupid. Eric worried he would make it worse than better when it was Eric who fixed things, he always had, for his family, his friends, his team he looked out for them, protected, fixed things. When he couldn’t, Dele knew it made him feel inferior. </p><p>Maybe Dele had been unfair too.</p><p>Dele held his breath when he felt Eric roll over in the bed, felt him get closer before he faltered, still further apart than they usually slept. On any other night if it was Eric coming to bed later he’d still pull Dele into his arms and tuck him to his chest, curl himself around him to fall asleep.</p><p>The covers shifted and Dele’s breath stuttered as he felt the duvet get pulled up higher over his shoulder, Eric’s hand smoothing down over his arm once it was in place. </p><p>He bit back a shiver.</p><p>Eric's hand slid down to his elbow and lingered there for a moment before the grip left him and the air punched out of Dele’s lungs once more. It took all he had to stop from tuning over and seeking out the arms he wanted even when he was mad and upset and confused.</p><p>It was only a moment before Eric’s hand came back to him, his fingers drew across the line of Dele’s shoulder blades before he settled his palm flat on the skin between his shoulders. His thumb rubbed back and forth in tiny moments, hand perfectly still like he’d only allowed himself this much of Dele to touch.</p><p>Dele swallowed hard and felt a tear fall to soak into his pillow. Stomach twisting as he slowly fell into sleep, following the sound of Eric’s steady breaths.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Crush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh my god you have such a crush on me” </p><p>Eric’s voice comes calling out from the living room and Dele frowned from where he was stood in the kitchen, A mug of tea held in each hand, ready to be carried out to his boy, but that, that was a curveball. </p><p>“What gave it away?” he called back, placing down one of the mugs to tuck a packet of biscuits under his arm. </p><p>“The three-year relationship? The fact I just got up to make you tea, or the fact I had my hand down your pants like half an hour ago?” Dele continued as he scooped up the other mug in his hand and made his way through from the kitchen through to the lounge room. </p><p>“but for the record I do not have a crush on you Eric don’t get a big head” he huffed for good measure as he rounded to see Eric. The man was just where he left him, sprawled out almost flat on his back, head propped up on a pillow to be able to keep his eyes on the large TV. The room was dark, only lit by the TV and a tall lamp in the back corner of the room, a low orange yellow glow washed over the walls. </p><p>Eric just laughed and rolled his eyes, lazily raised his hand to flip off Dele before he pointed at the screen with a small smirk on his lips, wiggled his fingers when Dele just stared at him. </p><p>Dele half expected to see paused football highlights on screen. They’d been talking about a game from last season and gotten into an argument about penalty which had turned into them switching from the tv show they had only half been watching to YouTube to find the highlights. 

Once Dele had won the argument, (like he knew he would thank you very much Eric) he’d gone to get them a drink and snack, knowing it was a matter of time before ever hungry Eric said he was hungry. </p><p>Instead he saw a familiar face smiling back at him, his younger self grinning bashfully, in a white pressed shirt with a burgundy sweater over the top, a smart outfit. </p><p>Far too formal for his taste now really, clearly something picked out for him for the interview and Dele frowned as he tries to recall the particular scene. It’s somewhat familiar to him, but Dele looks so young, his hairline still a bit of a mess and a boyish chub to his cheeks that had carved into sharper cheekbones now. </p><p>He could hear himself going on about something but the words weren’t clear, he frowned and placed the mugs down on the coffee table along with the packet of biscuits. </p><p>“What are you watching this for then? Making jokes about my hairline?” Dele asked, flopped down onto the couch with a sigh and shuffled across to lay his head on Eric’s stomach, moving till he was laid on his side, arms tucked to his chest as he looked at the screen.</p><p>“Well, you see this video popped up in the suggested section and I thought hey he looks cute” Eric’s voice sounded odd with Dele’s ear to his stomach, like a faint muffled reverberation. It made him feel warm none the less and Dele slipped a hand up under Eric’s hoodie, let his fingertips lazily skim the skin as he spoke. </p><p>“And then, I found out that someone has a big crush on me but is too shy to admit it” Eric smirked, remote in hand to rewind the video. Dele half frowned, curious as to what Eric was on about. </p><p>“What’s-“</p><p>“Shh, shh listen” Eric instructed once the video had gone back to the start and Dele huffed but complied. He smiled when he felt Eric’s hand wrap around the back of his neck, thumb tracing out the line of the recent tattoo that laid there. </p><p>Ever since he’d gotten the thin line of script inked into his skin it had fast become a favourite of Eric’s, a place his lips and fingers sought out almost without thought. </p><p>“Eric Dier”</p><p>“Eric Dier” </p><p>The interviews voice was the first thing dele heard before it was closely followed in echo by his own.</p><p>The screen filled with pictures from his Instagram, a particular one of them sat on lounges after training one day popping out to become bigger. Dele smiles a the pair of them, young and cringe and look on his face as he looks back at Eric through the screen. God he was embarrassing. </p><p>“You have this love affair with Eric Dier” is the next phase Dele latches on to, hears his young self laugh nervously at the words as he watches another video from his Instagram play on the screen.  </p><p>He poked Eric’s thigh, a silent ’if only they knew’ they being the world, their younger selves, all naive to what would happen between them.</p><p>Eric’s hand just caught his, kept it there on his thigh and gave it a squeeze, a silent ‘keep watching’ </p><p>He watched himself gush about Eric as a player, watched the dumb grin on his own young face, the light tin his eyes the way he has to look down to try and hide the fondness pushing up out of him. </p><p>Dele didn’t remember the interview clearly, but he does remember the tight white of the collar on his neck, the bright lights cast on him as he tried to not come across as embarrassingly having a huge massive crush on his best friend. By the look of it, Dele did an awful job of it. He might as well have just put a big stamp on his head that said “Eric Dier is my crush”. </p><p>Dele could feel his cheeks heating up ready, fa pleasant embarrassment flopped low in his stomach to hear himself say “he’s one of the nicest guy’s you’ll ever meet”. At least his younger self had his facts right. </p><p>“You are so mean to him sometimes” the interviewer says and Eric laughed, squeezed Dele’s hand and lets out a sound of agreement that Dele ignored. He is a healthy amount of mean to Eric, last thing the man needed is an unchecked ego. </p><p>“Yeah he’s like my big brother” Dele cringed at the words, Felt Eric’s stomach shake with laughter again as his hand continued the slow rub of his thumb across the back of his neck. </p><p>“Brother hey?” Eric hummed and Dele whined, pinched Eric thigh because hello he was trying to disguising being big fat stupidly infatuated with the guy, the brother defence was easy. </p><p>Dele was about to roll over, get a proper look at Eric so he can give him a hard time about how he very much never had a crush on him and also maybe show him he very much didn’t see him as a brother, but Eric’s hand tightened on the back of his neck as he sensed Dele’s movement. </p><p>“Wait” Eric mumbled and Dele payed attention to the screen once more to hear himself stumble over saying “yeah we do- loves a- loves a strong word but er go really like each other” before he fell into laughter. And oh, huh, Dele didn’t recall that from his memories of that interview at all. </p><p> The video came to an end and Dele rolled towards the couch, pressed his face further into Eric’s stomach and closed his eyes tight for a moment. </p><p>Eric waits for a breath before he is leant up over Dele’ his stupid wonky nose pressing to the side of Dele’s head as he teases him. </p><p>“you liiiiiked me, you had a crush on meeeee, you didn’t want to say you loved me because you were crushing on meee” Eric sing-songed, and poked his fingers into Dele’s sides making his squirm. </p><p>“I said I didn’t love you cause you’re so annoying Eric” Dele whined, swung his hand back blindly to smack at Eric’s general direction. </p><p>Eric didn’t give up, just slipped his arm under Dele’s waist to roll the boy over so that he was facing him from where he was laying on Eric’s stomach. </p><p>“Now we know that’s a lie don’t we?” Eric asked, and Dele frowned, tangled his hand up in the front of Eric’s jumper and tugged at it because if he was going to embarrass Dele like that, he deserved a stretched out hoodie.</p><p>“Because you do love me, you tell me like at least once a day” Eric smirked, reached for the hand Dele was wrinkling up his hoodie in and tangled their hands together, pulled Dele’s hand up to his mouth to press a kiss to his knuckles. </p><p>“Maybe” Dele mumbled, narrowed his eyes to try and hide the small smile teasing at his bottom lip. </p><p>“If you don’t stop teasing me I might have to drop it to every second day” Dele mumbled, wriggled his fingers against Eric’s chest where he’s dropped their joint hands to rest. </p><p>“In fact, if I remember it right, you were the one that told me first Mr. Love is a strong word" Eric wriggled his eyebrows at him and honestly, Dele wanted to flick him in the eye. </p><p>“Yeah well, given the circumstances I was under…well” Dele mumbled, his cheeks heating at the memory of it. </p><p>“Circumstances? Is that what we call it now?” he asked brows raised as he looked at Dele. </p><p>“Yep” Dele mumbled popping the P as he thought back to it, his gaze settling mindlessly around Eric’s throat as he got lost in the memory for a moment. </p><p>Dele jolted back to attention when he felt Eric’s knuckles knock against this cheek, and his eyes snapped back up to Eric’s face, the man wearing a small knowing smile. </p><p>Dele knew he was thinking about it too, the tangle of sheets around their legs the warm summer air coming in through the windows, the sweat and the laughter pressed into skin, their hands tangled against a pillow, a frank ocean song and the smell of the sea in the air. 

The way Dele had hidden his face in Eric’s throat when his laughter had spilled out into a sighed ‘I love you’. How Dele hadn’t even had a moment to worry because Eric had caught his face in his hands and mumbled the three words back before he pinned Dele to the properly like he’s been trying to. </p><p>Dele remembers the thrill of saying it again and again, of hearing Eric saying it back every time, of it never getting old even at the end of text messages or mumbled sleepily before bed. </p><p>Dele remembered the joy in his chest, of the safety and warmth of an I love you that always gets said back, an ask for kisses that always gets answers. </p><p>He remembers the disbelief and feeling of luck when Eric asked him out, of thinking what this could be knowing that Eric wanted it too. </p><p>Dele smiled and wriggled his fingers free of Eric’s hand, reached up to cup Eric’s jawline and cradled it in his hand, thumb rubbing over the stubble. </p><p>“I do love you though, a bit” Dele smiled, watched for the way Eric’s face always softened and bloomed at those words, chest tightened and breath pushed out from his chest. He loved him so much he was sure it would overflow out of him. Embarrassingly true he’d been gone for Eric for longer than he could admit. </p><p>“Love you just a bit more” Eric smiled, reached down and grabbed Dele under his shoulders and tugged him up to sprawl him across his chest, his arms came to wrap around his waist. </p><p>Dele’s answering smiling was smudged from his lips as Eric kissed him soundly, pressed close.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Come here” Dele asked, fingers wiggled impatiently, feet moved restlessly in the sheets. </p><p>“You come ‘ere” Eric mumbled, lips dragged against the pillowcase, his tired eyes watched Dele warmly. </p><p>“No, here” Dele asked, laid on his back with his arm sprawled out open to Eric. </p><p>Eric groaned and moved to lay his cheek against Dele’s chest, curled up into his side, a heavy warm weight pressing him into the mattress.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ust something little, struggling to write something I am proud of, but this kinda spilled out and I tried to just finish it to help with writer's block. Any comments appreciated if you feel like it </p><p>xx Love y'all</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eric was recovering from a cold. </p><p>It had been a simple sniffle, runny eyes, body aches and sneezes kind of cold. The winter weather had simply won out over him, but with some medicine and as much sleep as possible, Eric had still managed to keep up at training while he fought it off. </p><p>Thankfully, the main symptoms were gone now and all that was left was the heavy ache of his tired body, exhausted from the work of fighting off getting the flu. Eric had been curling up to sleep whenever possible, before and after training, games, a little kip before dinner, passing out in the car as Dele drove home. </p><p>As annoying as it was at times, especially when Eric fell asleep mid-conversation, Dele was glad that the man was taking his health more seriously. Eric’s continued illness after his burst appendix had been a terrifying lesson for both of them, and Eric had learnt to listen to what his body needed and to allow himself rest.</p><p>Eric had done better than the past few nights, made it just past nine at night before his head started to dip in lazy nods down towards his chest, eyes closing in slow blinks. </p><p>Dele had allowed the nodding off for a few minutes before he asked Eric if he wanted to switch off the movie and climb into bed with a hand gentle on the back of his neck. </p><p>Eric denied it through a yawn, a shake of his head and placed his hand on the inside of Dele’s thigh. </p><p>“Nah baby, We can finish this episode at least, take advantage of our morning off tomorrow, I’ll get up and make a tea in a mo’” Eric spoke softly, his voice was still gravely from his cold, husky and lower than usual. </p><p>Dele had been doubtful but knew better than to push it at that moment, just curled in closer into the man’s side. It had only taken a few minutes further into the show before Dele heard Eric’s breathing slow, felt the shift of his body against him. </p><p>Dele had looked back to confirm his suspicion, Eric’s eyes closed and lips parted, head dipped forward. After waking Eric with a gentle shake of his hand against his chest, Dele switched off the TV and stood from the couch with a soft insistence of "bed". He took Eric’s hand and pulled him up to his feet, keeping their fingers locked as Eric's body swayed with his exhaustion.  </p><p>Eric stood from the couch with a heavy sigh, stumbled over his feet slightly as his hand not locked with Dele’s, reached for the curve of his waist. </p><p>Eric tugged Dele easily back into his body, hooked his chin over his shoulder, his hand smoothed from Dele’s waist to his hip, slipped up under his sweatshirt to rest against his skin. </p><p>With a hum, Dele leant back into Eric’s body, the warm frame of him that was wrapped up around him. </p><p>“You comin’ to bed with me?” Eric mumbled into the skin between Dele’s shoulder and jawline. Dele shivered as Eric’s breath against his skin, stomach tightening under the warm touch of Eric’s hand. </p><p>“Course” Dele answered, began to walk, with the weight of Eric on his back, toward their bedroom. Eric hummed, turned his face into Dele’s neck and nuzzled his nose against the smooth skin and leant his upper body back into Eric’s chest. </p><p>“Course” Eric echoed, his lips brushing the words into Dele’s skin. “You can stay up if you wanna chill out a bit more, I don’t mind” he offered, the weight on him hanging on Dele’s back as they moved slowly. </p><p>Dele shrugged, shook his head easily and reached to wrap his hand around Eric’s wrist from where it stuck out from under his jumper.</p><p>“Nah you’ll complain if I don't, won’t you, besides I’ll just mess about on TikTok if I can’t sleep” Dele explained easily, fingers drumming a subconscious pattern against Eric’s wrist.</p><p>“Complain?” Eric asked, a single kiss placed to Dele’s hairline by the script inked into his skin. </p><p>“You always looking for a cuddle innit you, poor Clay will have to suffer being squished by you if it’s not me” Dele said, let out a small whine and twisted his hips to the left when Eric’s fingers ghosted over the side of his tummy. </p><p>Eric huffed and flattened his hand to lay flat over Dele’s stomach completely, pulled him back into his body tighter to stop him from squirming out of it. </p><p>“You’re good to Clay then” Eric breathed as they crossed from the hardwood floors to the plush soft carpet of their bedroom. </p><p>“S’why I’m his favourite” Dele whispered, turned slightly in Eric’s embrace to smudge a kiss beside his eye. </p><p>“Gotta take a piss, I’ll be a minute” Dele unravelled from Eric’s arms, caught the tips of his fingers against Eric’s hip before he slipped into the ensuite, not bothered with the door behind him.</p><p>Eric watched Dele walk across the floor until he was out of sight and then leant back to catch the edge of their bedroom door, he pursed his lips to let out a low whistle and Clay trotted quickly into their room, closed the door with a soft click behind him. Eric reached for the back of his sweatshirt and pulled it up over his head in one fluid motion, taking his shirt with it.</p><p>The sound of rainfall became obvious in the quiet of the room, the soft patters that kicked up into a loud drumming of sound. Despite the cool of the night, Eric knew he’d just become irritated and sweaty if he slept with a top on, so he tossed the clothes to the plush armchair pressed against one of the walls. </p><p>It was cool enough, however, to keep his sweatpants on and he took a few tired steps before he climbed into the soft nest of covers that was their bed.  </p><p>During winter, their bed became a game of how many layers of covers could Eric tolerate. Dele ran cold and Eric ran warm, and Dele seemed to keep finding new blankets and duvets to lay on their bed out of nowhere. After much discussion, they’d come to a good compromise, but Eric still smirked at the thick layers he’d pull back each night to slip into bed. </p><p>Eric placed his phone on his charger and let out a small groan as he laid back, eyes watching the ceiling, thinking about their day tomorrow as he waited for his boy. </p><p>Dele splashed his face with warm water after he’d finished washing his hands, towel dried them both and rolled his shoulders back in a lazy stretch. He lazily grabbed for a </p><p>Exhaustion was thick in his body, but his mind was still awake, he easily could have spent another few hours watching TV to let his brain unwind. However, getting into bed late meant falling asleep not curled up in Eric’s arms, but instead silently slipping into bed trying not to wake the tired man.</p><p>Besides, how could Dele pass up being tangled up with his boy, feeling him warm secure and safe around him. Dele’s fingers fiddled mindlessly with the ends of the sleeves of his sweatshirt, pulled them down over his fingertips and held them in his fist. </p><p>A smile bloomed wide across Dele’s mouth when he spotted Eric, and he felt his heart twist up tight in his chest, he pressed his lips tightly closed as though it might grow wings and fly up his throat and out of his mouth. </p><p>Sometimes he thought he loved Eric an embarrassing amount, that it was too much, was head over heels for the dork that sung Portuguese songs to his dog to encourage him to eat dinner and got so competitive over board games he didn’t speak to Jan for a whole day over suspected cheating. </p><p>But then, then Eric did something like this and he found new love growing sharp and fast in his chest, flowers blooming in a blink and filling hid lungs till he struggled to breathe. He didn’t do this, not always, but Dele had been complaining all morning about how the night before, the chill from training had felt bone deep, even after his shower it had clung to him and that he just couldn’t get warm. </p><p>And now, there Eric Dier his big idiot boyfriend was, laying half dozing on Dele’s side of the bed, warm body sprawled out on the mattress. </p><p>Eric stirred as Dele sat himself down on the edge of the mattress, his handsome face bloomed into a warm smile. His lips tugged up in a pure fondness, blue eyes bright and tired as they scanned Dele’s face, his hand reached up to cup Dele’s cheek, thumb drew a little circle. </p><p>“Gettin’ it warm for you’ Eric mumbled, another yawn fell from his mouth, eyes water slightly with it. </p><p>“Mmm, take good care of me don’t you?” Dele whispered, love so heavy in his chest it felt like his body would pitch over with it, overwhelmed. </p><p>Eric just smiled and shrugged his shoulders jostling the fabric of their sheets, a content grin on his lips,</p><p>“Only for you handsome” </p><p>he answered before he shuffled across to his side of the bed, let out a tired groan before he rolled on his side to be facing Dele. </p><p>Dele stood up to slip himself into the bed, careful to not disrupt peacefully sleeping Clay. He let out a pleased groan at the heat Eric’s body had left on the mattress, toes curled happily and he pressed his face into the pillow, inhaled deep through his nose as one hand reached out to rest on Eric’s chest. </p><p>“Come here” Dele asked, fingers wiggled impatiently, feet moved restlessly in the sheets. </p><p>“You come ‘ere” Eric mumbled, lips dragged against the pillowcase, his tired eyes watched Dele warmly. </p><p>“No, here” Dele asked, laid on his back with his arm sprawled out open to Eric. </p><p>Eric groaned and moved to lay his cheek against Dele’s chest, curled up into his side, a heavy warm weight pressing him into the mattress. </p><p>Dele watched as Eric nuzzled his cheek into the fabric of his sweatshirt, eyes bowing in tired blinks. Eric’s hand moved to slip back up under the material to touch at the bare skin, his fingertips grazed reverently in lazy circles on the tight skin of Dele’s abdomen. </p><p>With another long yawn, Eric squeezed Dele tighter to him, holding him secure, anchored under his steady hands. Dele reached down for the covers, pulled them up over Eric’s shoulders, tucking them both into the warm cocoon that smelt like home. </p><p>“S’nice, feels nice” Eric moaned, a shiver ran through him when Dele’s hand came to rest on the back of his neck, scratching lightly. </p><p>Dele struggled to speak, words gone thick and heavy in his throat, his breath trembled out as he moved his hand up into Eric’s cropped hair, rubbing at his scalp. </p><p>Sometimes it knocked him down, just how lucky he really was, how he’d found a home in this boy, this kind man, who warmed up his side of the bed so he wouldn’t feel cold at night. </p><p>“I love you" Dele breathed</p><p>"Sleep, amor, you’re exhausted” Dele spoke, voice a low whisper. </p><p>“Sleep well Del” Eric exhaled, the words tangled up in exhaustion, “Love you” Eric whispered before he let out a heavy exhale, his eyes slipped closed and his breathing began to slow. </p><p>Dele bit into his bottom lip to try and tamper his beaming grin, looked down as he gently brushed his fingers back and forth, traced up to his hairline, along his forehead and then back down behind his ears. </p><p>The hand not in Eric’s hair reached to turn off the lamp, cast the room into darkness, Dele’s laid back on his pillow. He stared up into the dark of their room, a feeling welling up through him like a rocking wave, his hands secure on his boy, feeling him solid safe and real. </p><p>When Dele was younger, he had the worst fear of the dark, for as long as he could remember he dreaded bedtime, the cold quiet dark of his room, the often empty home, the nightmare’s he’s wake up from. He’d spend hours awake, holding his covers tight up to his chest and waiting desperately for the sun to come up. </p><p>As he’d gotten a little older, he had learnt sleep wasn’t really an issue if he didn’t come home, he learnt in doing that he also avoided the fighting, the slurred speech of his biological mother’s rambling, the sound of his half-siblings fussing and crying. </p><p>Home, to Dele was something his friends had, something he could borrow for a few hours, sit in for a dinner and pretend he knew what it felt like. Home for so long was himself and a weathered football tucked between his feet. </p><p>The rain picked up outside and Dele’s fingers drifted to Eric’s ears, his touch gentle as his fingertips traced the shape of them. </p><p>As he got older, home became something he had, but still felt in a small way, borrowed. The Hickford were his family, yes, undoubtedly they were the true family he was always meant to find. However, stepping into it thirteen years along, he still at times felt like he had fallen into the steadiness they provided, he was cradled by it, fit into it and created something new with them as he grew up. </p><p>It wasn’t until Eric that Dele understood what it felt like to build a home. To grow together, to see the change in each other from the start, to create a home based on mutual wants and needs from the ground up. </p><p>Dele had walked into his career, and stumble into the love of his life on the way. <br/>No one had shown Dele love like Eric did. The way Eric looked at him every day made him feel like he was always seen, always chosen. Eric wanted him, always, even when Dele didn’t like the person he was in that time. </p><p>Eric gave Dele a safety net he never realised he’d gone so long without, the security, someone to come home to, someone to hold till they fall asleep, someone who’s always going to be looking for him to enter a room, and watch him leave. </p><p>Dele’s exhale stuttered and his hand moved to rest flat on Eric’s back, able to feel the rise and fall of his breathing. Eric kept everything still, steady, kept the ground a sure thing so that Dele felt safe moving. </p><p>A soft roll of thunder sounded and Dele closed his eyes, sent a God a silent thank you for the man curled up on top of him who had begun to snore softly, a thank you that he was lucky enough to have this in his lifetime, a real love, his home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>(no comments made about Dele's family/childhood/life are in no way may to represent real-life or fact or cast any judgement. It is a work of fiction, and no offence is intended &lt;3)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dele found his eyes heavy as he curled up on the couch, tugged a throw over his feet as he clicked through channels lazily, going about opening Netflix. </p><p>A smile quirked on his lips as he heard Eric’s loud laugh rining in from the kitchen, Fran’s voice warm and teasing as he continued to speak over Eric’s laughter. </p><p>While Dele was unable to understand the words, besides the occasional swear word or common phrase Eric had taught him, but it still sounded like home, family.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi cuties, here's another little drabble that was on Tumblr and I have moved here :) &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dele had never been an easy sleeper. </p><p>Even since he was young enough to remember, everything had to be just right for him to fall asleep. He needed the warmth of blankets laid over his body, the right pillow tucked under his head and some form of white noise, usually a fan. He hated trying to sleep in silence. </p><p>(now, he was lucky enough for his boyfriend to be his very own white noise machine, He’d be tossing and turning, struggling to find sleep and Eric would gather Dele to his chest and talk to him. Sometimes he’d talk about random things, his course, his family, other times he would read his book aloud to him. Eric had the perfect voice to lull his mind and let him drift off) </p><p>Even in adulthood, Dele still struggled to find sleep in any scenario that was his bed. He didn’t sleep on trains or the bus back from a game, didn’t fall into a nap on the couch or find himself dozing off when he was curled up anywhere for too long. </p><p>It was for that reason that Eric was so shocked to find Dele curled up on the couch in his parents living room, asleep. He was restless, feet shuffling against the couch and his body moving every few seconds, but still, the fact he was even asleep made a small smile tuck int he corner of Eric’s mouth. </p><p>They had arrived at Eric’s parents home three days prior, taking advantage of a week off to spend time with them in Portugal. Eric’s sister’s Daisy and Fran, as well as his brother Eddy, had all been able to make it as well, a good show out of the six siblings. It had been a lovely few days of warmth and good food, family and talking, taking the dogs down to the beaches and drinking cold beer. </p><p>It had been nothing short of bliss, Dinner that had been a large table of seafood and fresh buttered bread, salad and fresh cheese, sweet grapes and red wine, shared outside over conversation and laughter. They had stayed out until the sun had gone down, till a small chill rolling in off the water had blown in and Dele had tucked his toes under Eric’s thigh to keep them warm. </p><p>Dele had laughed and teased Eric with his siblings delighted each time he got a new story about baby Eric. Eric knew that Dele would hold onto of the story of Eric declaring he did NOT like kisses at all, from the age of four to five, that he never EVER wanted kisses. </p><p>It had gotten late enough that the long day and the alcohol had made everyone tired and warm, ready to turn in for the night. They had slipped inside, carrying plates and glasses to begin cleaning. Eric had caught Dele around his waist and pulled him into his chest, pressed a kiss his shoulder and asked him to find a movie while they washed up. Dele tried to protest, said he would help, but Louise had swanned in and said Dele was not to be in that kitchen cleaning since he had helped so much with prepping the food. </p><p>Louise has a hard woman to try to bargain with, and Dele retired with a small laugh, agreeing to stay on the couch. Eric had smudged a kiss over his lips with a smile, chased the taste of wine staining his lips before he slipped off to the kitchen. </p><p>Cleaning with his family always went fast, the Dier’s had it down to a science, moving quickly and easily as they chatted happily in Portuguese, Eric’s parents always wanting them to speak Portuguese when they were home, lest they lose their fluency. </p><p>Dele found his eyes heavy as he curled up on the couch, tugged a throw over his feet as he clicked through channels lazily, going about opening Netflix. A smile quirked on his lips as he heard Eric’s loud laugh rining in from the kitchen, Fran’s voice warm and teasing as he continued to speak over Eric’s laughter. While Dele was unable to understand the words, besides the occasional swear word or common phrase Eric had taught him, but it still sounded like home, family.</p><p>Dele shuffled down the couch and let out a slow exhale, let his head dip down to rest on the arm of the couch, clicked sleepily through movies till he settled on one he knew Eric’s father had mentioned wanting to watch and queued it up. </p><p>Slow blinks drew Dele down until he let his eyes fall shut, letting them rest for a few moments as he listened to the Dier’s in the kitchen, stomach warm and full with food, limbs heavy and comfortable against the couch. </p><p>Eric was kicked out the kitchen with a kiss to his cheek, a soft “go see your boy” and a kind smile as she took the dish he was drying out of his hands. “we will only be a few more minutes, don’t worry” she spoke sweetly and he smiled, kissed the top of his mothers head before he slipped out of the room. It was nice to catch a few moments alone with Dele when possible, as much as he loved being around his family, he did miss the moments of just them. It was only when they got into bed each night really that it was just them. </p><p>As he walked out of the kitchen he snagged a kitchen cloth and wiped his hands of the remaining suds, came to a pause when his eyes fell on his boy, sleeping restlessly on the lounge. </p><p>Eric laid the cloth over the back over the arm of the couch, walked carefully over to Dele, keeping his movements quiet as he sat on the couch beside him. He watched as Dele let out a small whine and his head lolled to the side, at an uncomfortable tilt, his brow screwed up in a frown.</p><p>Eric reached out and placed a hand on Dele’s hip, watched as Dele fidgeted in his sleep and his lashes fluttered, as if he might wake. Eric’s heart squeezed with he thought of how much he adored him, the freckle by his lips and the slope his lashes. Even his grumpy face as he tried to sleep. He loved so deeply that Dele had felt safe enough to fall asleep here. He loved that Dele was part of his family now. That Dele belonged here and he knew it. Eric was Dele’s home, and Dele was his, that would never change, but Eric felt reassured to know that Dele knew that this could be home too, if he needed it, he had a physical place that had space for him always.  </p><p>Dele let out a low whimper, pushed his face into the couch, the same way he nuzzled into his pillows before he woke. Eric hummed and shuffled closer to Dele, got his hands on his waist to gently tug his sleep warm body closer to him. Dele moved easily, his warm body fit easily into Eric’s hold, tucked into him with his head landing on Eric’s chest, nose bumping against his jaw as he snuggled closer. </p><p>“it’s ok” Eric soothed Dele as he pressed a kiss to his forehead, his hand petting gently at his lower back as Dele settled into his arms. Dele let out a small whine again and Eric shushed him, moved the hand that wasn’t on his lower back to his hair, gently brushing through the front of his hair as he pressed another kiss to his forehead. He let his lips linger against the skin, whispered a few more soft words under his breath to settle Dele. A mix of Portuguese and English, of ‘I’ve got you’ and ‘i love you’ and ‘sleep’. In only a few more slow breaths, Dele relaxed completely, and Eric smiled, dropped his hand so that both arms were around Dele’s waist to keep him close. </p><p>It didn’t take long for his family pile in, but thankfully they noticed the quiet of the room and saw Dele curled into Eric’s arms. They tucked themselves into surrounding couches, holding cups of coffee or a bottle of beer, one passed to Eric by Daisy before she sat down, sending them a fond look.</p><p>Eric started the movie with a click of a button, settled the volume to not be too loud and focused on the steady rise and fall of Dele’s chest of where he was pressed to him.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Soft and Warm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“S’alright you’re cute enough you don’t have to have the brains too” Eric retorted, and Dele properly laughed then, pushed at Eric’s shoulder till he pulled back enough to look at him to see Dele’s grumpy frown.</p><p>“So rude to me aren’t you? Treating me like this, so hard dating you” Dele sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another little ficcy that was on Tumblr 😊 just putting it here ❤️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You gonna kiss me? Or just stare at me like a creep?”</p><p>Dele’s voice was a small whisper, quiet and tucked away in the large bedroom even when it didn’t need to be.</p><p>Eric hummed lowly, wiggled his toes against the sheets and leant in closer to the man underneath him.</p><p>“Kiss you? And why would I do something like that?” Eric smirked, his voice a tired whisper as his eyes tracked the pretty smile tucked to the corner of Dele’s lips.</p><p>With a small sigh Dele shrugged, a jostle of his shoulders against their blankets that tangled up his jumper further around his waist, the fabric catching. 

Eric claimed the newly revealed skin with his hand, trailed his fingertips lightly over the warm skin of Dele’s stomach. The skin was soft and smooth, and Eric drew three hearts with the tip of his pointer finger right by Dele’s belly button just to hear the small giggle he let out.</p><p>“Tickles” Dele whined out like Eric wasn’t fully away of that patch of skin and how it always sent Dele into a fit of laughter when it was touched. Like Eric didn’t aim for that spot when they were wrestling for a cheap win.</p><p>Dele let out a small groan and wiggled further down the bed, tucked his toes against Eric’s ankle and began to push at the ankle of his sweatpants.</p><p>He watched Eric’s eyes follow his movements, felt the way Eric’s fingernails scratched lightly at the skin of his abdomen. Dele resisted the urge to smirk and instead pushed his bottom lip out slightly, kept his eyes wide and blinked slowly, wrapped both legs around Eric’s hips. 

“Fine then” he jutted his chin out slightly, knowing he had the upper hand by the way Eric was gazing at his mouth.</p><p>Dele’s cheeks were flushed a dark pink from their shower, his hair still damp, a few drops landing on Dele every now and again. He smelt warm and fresh, like his soap and their sheets, and Dele didn’t really mind the fact Eric had trapped him here.</p><p>Trapped might be a strong word, but when they’d gotten out of the shower, steam pluming our after them, Dele had still felt a little sour about the match. Usually, a nice hot shower with Eric solved most things. 

However the loss had been particularly brutal that night, the sight of 7-2 was still sharp in his mind. On top of that, he’d been freezing most of the night and after things had started to go downhill, he’d just wanted to be in bed, able to feel his hands and toes and maybe chill a shitty Netflix film on with Eric and the dogs. Maybe most of all he just wanted to be curled in tightly to Eric’s side.</p><p>Dele hasn’t been able to help himself for just a few seconds and had leant himself into Eric’s shoulder while they sat on the sidelines, witness to the miserable loss.</p><p>Dele had slipped out of the shower, towelled off roughly and slipped into a fresh pair of his boxers and a hoodie from Eric’s side of the draw before a solid weight collected him up and tackled him firmly into their bed. Eric’s laugh had been warm and pressed to Dele’s neck and he felt Eric’s chest buzz with his soft question of “what’s wrong love” like they didn’t just have one of the roughest loses in a long while.</p><p>Dele’s escape attempted from his boyfriend's firm clutches had resulted in Eric having Dele properly under him, pinned up near their pillows as he tried to tease Dele out of his bad mood.</p><p>“Well” Dele sighed heavily, tilted his head back and turned his head to the left, spotted Clay and Cisco happily sleeping on the other side of the bed, and he smiled at the image they made. Their little family.</p><p>“I guess if there’s no kissin’ going here tonight” Dele sighed again, wiggled on the bed. “Maybe we should talk about the weakness of our defence ton-“ Dele was cut off by Eric’s mouth pressing firmly over his own.</p><p>Dele laughed into the kiss, slung his arms lazily around Eric’s neck as he kissed him back, licked into his mouth to taste their toothpaste.</p><p>Eric pulled back after a few moments and dele leant up to chase once last kiss, unable to help himself. 

“Thought I said topic was off-limits” Eric muttered, dropped a kiss to Dele’s brow. “No football talk, and no love island talk” dele said, face serious and eyes playful.</p><p>Dele hummed and tightened his arms around Eric, tugged on him till Eric released his balance on his arms and let the full weight of his body collapse on top of Dele’s. He grunted slightly and slapped a hand against Eric’s bareback, a few stray drops of water catching under his palm.</p><p>“Proper cruel aren’t you?” Dele mumbled, slid his hand up to the back of Eric’s neck, squeezed at the warm skin. “No love island chat? What do you expect from me otherwise? To make an actual conversation with you?” Dele muttered and pulled a slight grimace.</p><p>Eric’s laugh was soft and warm and Dele pressed tiny soft kiss to Eric’s ear, stomach light and warm on the boy's sweet laugh. 

“Maybe just a bit, know we’ve pretty much lost our spark already but thought maybe you could hang out with me for a few minutes” Eric’s voice was small, half a whisper and Dele adored the way it made his accent heavier, his vowels rounder, words more melodic. His sleepy voice.</p><p>“Eh” Dele sighed and stroked his fingers down Eric’s back, moved to the waistband of Eric’s sweat pants and tugged at one before he let his fingers settle under it.</p><p>“Don’t think I have much to say to you, to be honest” he muttered, and smoothed a smatter of kisses down Eric’s neck, nosed at the warm soft skin.</p><p>Eric laughed and Dele felt his arms wrap tighter around his body, let out a content sigh at the feeling Eric pressed against him. The bludge of his biceps against Dele’s sides, the feel of his skin soft against his own. It’s all he’d wanted the whole night if he was honest.</p><p>“S’alright you’re cute enough you don’t have to have the brains too” Eric retorted, and Dele properly laughed then, pushed at Eric’s shoulder till he pulled back enough to look at him to see Dele’s grumpy frown.</p><p>“So rude to me aren’t you? Treating me like this, so hard dating you” Dele sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes.</p><p>Eric smirked and leant in closer, eyes on Dele’s lips. “Must be, you’d know anyway, been doing it for four years, pretty much an expert” Eric whispered. Dele opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the press of Eric’s lips fo his own.</p><p>Dele word died, forgotten on his own tongue but he let Eric kiss him anyway, melted into it for a little while. He pulled away with a small sound, cheeks flushed and tucked one last kiss by the corner of Eric’s mouth.</p><p>Eric let his head rest on Dele’s shoulder, let out a heavy yawn and moved hand to find one of Dele’s, and tangled their fingers together loosely.</p><p>“You warm enough?” Eric asked a few quiet moments later, and Dele felt his heart do something stupid, his hand squeezed Eric’s tighter. Dele nodded sleepily, eyes cast down on Eric’s head as he watched his boy half doze on him, Eric’s thumb working steadily over the back of Dele’s hands, following some of the veins in a lazy pattern.</p><p>“F’You stay right here with me, think I’ll be warm the rest of the night” Dele muttered, slid his free hand up to tangle in Eric’s short damp hair, scratched gently at his scalp. The movements of his fingers heavy with tiredness.</p><p>“Better not move then” Eric whispered, reached back to tug their covers up from his waist to be around his shoulders instead.</p><p>“Yeah” Dele felt the tension of the day finally slowly melting from his head, finding peace in the secure weight of Eric on him.</p><p>“Better not” Dele agreed, pretty sure he’d be content to stay here as long as Eric was here too.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. First Kiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another older drabble from a tumblr ask ❤️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dele felt a sharp pinch to his side and flinched, drew his eyes from where he was staring off in the distance, deep in his own mind.</p><p>“What’s that for?” He whined as he looked down at Eric, where the man had his head in Dele’s lap. He moved his fingers to pinch at Eric’s ear, tugged at it in revenge.</p><p>“Been saying your name for like five minutes” Eric grumbled and Dele rolled his eyes, moved to press a fingertip to Eric’s nose.</p><p>“Hasn’t been five minutes don’t be dramatic” he huffed and had to bite back a smile when Eric rolled his eyes in that way that was far too cute. Not that Dele would ever admit that.</p><p>“What do you want then?” Dele asked, and moved his hand back to Eric’s hair, where it had been all night, and resumed the slow brush of his fingers through it. </p><p>It was a lazy pattern of dragging his fingers through the front, moving till he reached the crown of his head and curled his fingers in a light curling scratch before he drew them back down to Eric’s forehead and started again.</p><p>“I asked you what you were thinking about” Eric answered softly, the hand he had resting on Dele’s thigh giving a squeeze as he spoke.</p><p>Dele felt a warm flush creep up over his cheeks, a pink shade tinting his skin as he moved his eyes from Eric’s to instead watch the lazy pattern of his fingers in Eric’s hair.</p><p>“Oh” Dele acknowledged Eric’s question with the single word, before he tucked his bottom lip under his teeth, tugging at the skin.</p><p>“What?” Eric asked, bright blue eyes wide with curiosity as he looked to Dele for an explanation.</p><p>“Just thought you zoned out, but what were you thinking about?” Eric smirked, pleased that he’d seemingly caught Dele off guard.</p><p>Dele sighed and let his hand come to rest at Eric’s forehead, his thumb brushing at the soft hair that was now long enough to tuft out over his hairline. Dele looked at the contrast of the blond against the tone of his skin, looking deeper and more golden when playing with Eric’s hair.</p><p>“What?” Eric whined again, reached up to flick Dele in the stomach who tugged his hair slightly in retaliation.</p><p>“What? Was it dirty?” Eric smirked, licked his lips as he gazed up at Dele, eyes light and playful.</p><p>Dele laughed and shook his head, looked up to the TV screen playing the documentary Eric had chosen out about this woman who owned this crazy expensive house in America that was the biggest in the world.</p><p>The woman herself was a character really and the family was bizarre, and it was interesting, but Dele has been drifting in and out of focus, content to have Eric curled up with his head in his lap, finally able to have a week of just them together.</p><p>While not being called up to play for England had stung, they had both known and agreed it was for the best, their bodies and their minds needed the rest. On top of that, they both knew they were a bit desperate for quality time together since injuries had kept them apart recently.</p><p>“You’re zoning out again” Eric laughed, reached up to poke Dele’s cheek who slapped his hand away. </p><p>“Stop bullyin’ me, we are on a date and you’re bullying me” Dele pouted heavily, tilted his head down so that Eric would see it properly, paired with his puppy dog eyes.</p><p>“Hey, no, don’t try and change the topic” Eric frowned, despite the small smile on his lips. He knew Eric always got pleased when Dele called them dates, these little things of dinner together at home and chilling on the couch. It was a small thing but it always made Eric happy and Dele loved it.</p><p>“I was just thinking about stuff” Dele said, and Eric already met him with a raised brow, a silent way to tell him he wasn’t getting away with that.</p><p>“Just you know-“ Dele paused and waved a hand out in placement of an explanation. He let out a soft sigh, looked back up to the screen and away from Eric’s piercing blue eyes.</p><p>“Well, you know your hair is kinda long now, and um I’m used to it being spiky” Dele shrugged and continued the movement of his fingers through the longer strands, using it to relax himself. He knew he’d started his explanation at a weird point and Eric was probably giving him that cute confused look he had when he didn’t understand one of Dele’s tangents. He didn’t look down to check though.</p><p>“And uh” Dele looked to the framed picture on the coffee table, one of Clay and Cisco curled up asleep next to Eric’s niece and nephew. </p><p>“Made me think about when you used to have it long” he smiled then, unable to help himself.</p><p>“How it feels now” he wiggles his fingers for emphasis, “reminds me of when we first started dating you know” he huffed and looked back down at Eric, just his hair, not ready to reach his eyes just yet. </p><p>“Reminds me of our first kiss” he added, voice almost a whisper.</p><p>“That’s what I was thinking about, that first kiss” Dele licked his lips as he thought of it, smiling fondly as he watched his fingers work over Eric’s scalp.</p><p>“On your doorstep, just as I was about to go home and-” Dele cut himself off with a small laugh. Eric knew the story, it’s not like he had to tell him.</p><p>“Just your hair, how it feels now felt like it did that first time we kissed, got a hand in your hair and I remember thinking how soft it was” Dele paused then and let his eyes flicker down to Eric’s. Eric was already looking up at him, gaze soft and lips parted, and Dele’s heart gave a stupid little flutter.</p><p>God he really did look younger like this, like the boyish Eric he first met and fell so stupidly in love with he didn’t even know it was happening until one day he just couldn’t picture doing life without him.</p><p>It made Dele go a bit starry-eyed now, whenever he looked at him, caught for a second in a younger Eric, one who asked if he could hold his hand. </p><p>The younger Eric who would kiss him goodnight against his car or by his door till Dele was dizzy with it, sending him off into his house with a small wave goodbye like he hadn’t just sent Dele on fire.</p><p>Younger Eric who bought him flowers for their one month anniversary of dating- cooked Dele his favourite Portuguese dish from his childhood- one that Dele was now also obsessed with.</p><p>He’d been in love with Eric so long, known him as part of himself, his other half for so many years he’d almost forgotten when they were still falling for each other. He almost forgot about the days when they were Dele and Eric, a pair but not quite ‘DeleandEric’ irreversibly part of each other just yet. Recently Dele had just felt wrapped up in the memories of falling in love with Eric, the best thing he’s ever done.</p><p>“Baby” Eric’s voice was soft and pulled Dele back to him, the softness of his voice making Dele’s chest go tight.</p><p>“Don’t call me a sap- and I swear if you tease me about this in front of the other lads I’ll kick your ass ok? You’re the one that wanted to grow it long and-”</p><p>Eric cut him off when he reached up and wrapped a hand around the back of Dele’s neck, pulled him down and caught him in three soft, warm kisses. </p><p>“I love you” Eric’s words were gentle, full of love and kisses into the skin of Dele’s chin. Dele felt like they melted through him, wrapped around his heart warm and sticky hot, a security that filled his body, a safety and love that he’d craved his whole life.</p><p>“I love you, love kissing you I love you sweetheart” Eric mumbled the words between kisses, sucks of lips that sent chills down Dele’s spine, made his toes curl against the carpet they were resting on.</p><p>His body was hot with happiness, heart thundering his pulse that thrummed in his fingertips, his sternum, his body alight with joy. “I love you” Dele mumbled back, was glad that they were pressed close enough to hide the dark red that had covered up his cheeks.</p><p>Eric pulled back just enough to lock eyes, curled his fingers into the curls behind Dele’s ear, smiled warm and soft.</p><p>“That kiss, our first kiss, that is the best thing I’ve ever done” he said, voice brimming with honesty.</p><p>Dele looked down at him, swallowed hard to avoid the small prickle of tears he could feel brining at his eyes. He couldn’t find the words and just nodded, let his eyes scan Eric’s face, the soft blond of his hair, his smooth skin, the deep lines of his brow and his piercing blue eyes, the soft flutter of his thick eyelashes. </p><p>The perfect line of his nose and the handsome structure of his cheekbones and jawline, masculine and strong. The soft rosebud of his lips, wet from Dele’s mouth, the peak of his white teeth in his soft smile. The line of his neck, strong and yet soft, the set of his collarbones predominate and firm to contrast the smooth skin of his neck, the bump of his Adam’s apple and the hollow of his throat, the little dip that Dele often found his lips making their home.</p><p>He leaned in for another kiss, his hand that wasn’t in Eric’s hair moved to the boys chest, drew a heart shape over Eric’s chest, trying to tell him what he didn’t know how to say in his words. He thought, as Eric smiled into their kiss, held Dele tighter to his body, he had picked the perfect person to be his home, and he wasn’t sure how on earth he got so lucky for Eric to pick him back.</p>
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